U.S. patent number 5,469,606 [Application Number 08/230,296] was granted by the patent office on 1995-11-28 for clamp means for joining objects together.
Invention is credited to Arne Hansen.
United States Patent |
5,469,606 |
Hansen |
November 28, 1995 |
Clamp means for joining objects together
Abstract
The invention comprises a profile-shaped clamp means wherein one
or two inside profile elements (6), shaped as gripping springs,
press resiliently against an object which is thereby retained. When
the object is constituted by a male part (7,9) adapted to fit the
profile element of the female shape of said clamp, the total clamp
means can be utilize for locking two objects (10,11) to each other.
The clamp means is preferably constructed as a profile in a
homogeneous material, and a clamp effect and/or a joint is obtained
without use of tools or small parts. The profile elements are
preferred to be convexly curved, while the male part may be
substantially complementary to the curved profile.
Inventors: |
Hansen; Arne (Sandvika,
NO) |
Family
ID: |
25506120 |
Appl.
No.: |
08/230,296 |
Filed: |
April 20, 1994 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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962599 |
Feb 11, 1993 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
24/662; 24/297;
24/683; 411/508 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44B
11/2592 (20130101); A44B 11/266 (20130101); Y10T
24/45775 (20150115); Y10T 24/309 (20150115); Y10T
24/45885 (20150115) |
Current International
Class: |
A44B
11/25 (20060101); A44B 11/26 (20060101); A44B
017/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;24/662,616,614,297,683
;411/508,509,510,913 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
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0015268 |
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Oct 1911 |
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DK |
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0378851 |
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Jul 1990 |
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EP |
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1400868 |
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Nov 1968 |
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DE |
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2259252 |
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Jun 1974 |
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DE |
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0011974 |
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1905 |
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GB |
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1004132 |
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Sep 1965 |
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GB |
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1185883 |
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Mar 1970 |
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GB |
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2092525 |
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Aug 1982 |
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GB |
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8707223 |
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Dec 1987 |
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WO |
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9106436 |
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May 1991 |
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WO |
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Primary Examiner: Sakran; Victor N.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Ladas & Parry
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No.
07/962,599 filed Feb. 11, 1993, now abandoned.
Claims
I claim:
1. A clamp means, preferably with a profile-shaped design, for
joining together two objects in a fast and simple snap-on manner,
comprising a male part and a female part provided respectively for
each object, said female part comprising at least one springy,
barb-like profile element attached along the upper edge of the
female part, and in such a manner that for providing a retaining
effect for the male part when the male part is inserted into the
female part cavity, said profile element extending down into said
cavity and being adapted to yield elastically sideways when the
male part is inserted in the cavity and engages a profile element
surface, and thereafter to be relaxed and return quickly to a less
strained position when the tip of the male part has passed by the
profile element, said male part tip having such dimensions that
said tip is retained by the profile element due to a barb effect
and against the cavity bottom due to an engagement effect, a
further clamping effect also being obtained due to a pinch effect
between the profile elements or between the single profile element
and the opposite wall, said profile element being convexly curved
when viewed in the insertion direction, that the lower edge of said
profile element is located substantially closer to the cavity
bottom than to the upper edge of the wall, a male part section
behind said male part tip having a surface with a substantially
complementary cross section shape in relation to said profile
element surface when the profile element is in its less strained
position, in order to obtain a firm and rigid engagement.
2. The clamp means in accordance with claim 1, wherein said male
part surface is complementary to said profile element surface for
some distance along the profile direction.
3. The clamp means in accordance with claim 1, wherein said clamp
means is elongate in a profile direction given by said upper edge
of a cavity limiting wall.
4. The clamp means in accordance with claim 1, wherein the lower
edge of each respective profile element is shaped, in a cross
sectional view, with a straight cut in an inclined direction
substantially down toward the adjacent bottom and wall corner in
the cavity, and wherein the cross section shape of said male part
is complementary to this shape at the rear edge of the tip.
5. The clamp means in accordance with claim 1, said female part
comprising in cross section a substantially U-shaped cavity with a
bottom and two upright walls, and two oppositely arranged profile
elements, wherein said profile elements are placed in a symmetrical
manner and for symmetrical effect in relation to a central plane
spanned by an axis which is parallel to the longitudinal direction
of the clamp means along said upper edge, and by the insertion
direction for the male part into said cavity, and wherein said male
part also being correspondingly symmetrically shaped behind its tip
for a double complementary engagement effect against the two
profile elements in their less strained positions.
6. The clamp means in accordance with claim 5, wherein the male
part tip has a tapered forward section which fits complementarily
into a corresponding shaped recess in the cavity bottom, for
further support effect.
7. The clamp means in accordance with claim 5, wherein the lower
edge of each profile element has a longitudinally extending part
which is curved rearwardly toward the adjacent wall and up, thereby
providing a first groove, each respective wall having on the inside
thereof arranged a longitudinally extending section which projects
inwardly and up at a height between said edge groove and the upper
edge of the wall, thereby providing a second groove, and a rigid
lever is arranged behind each respective profile element, said
lever comprising a first arm with a rim protruding down into said
first groove, a support arm in an inclined relation to said first
arm, said support arm having an end thereof in engagement with the
second groove for providing a pivot axis for said lever, and a
second arm in the opposite direction of said first arm, said second
arm having an end part projecting out through a hole in the upper
edge of the female part, said hole being provided for that purpose,
said levers, on both sides of said clamp means, being adapted, when
both end parts are pushed or squeezed to bend said profile elements
backwards and away from a possibly retained male part, such that
said male part is able to be pulled right out of the female part
again, the distance from said pivot axis to the squeeze position of
an end part being larger than the distance to the first groove, so
that the necessary squeeze force is reduced due to a favourable
moment arm ratio.
8. The clamp means in accordance with claim 5, wherein both profile
elements are articulated along the profile direction with hinges
mounted on the backside thereof, the springy effect of the profile
elements being provided by separate spring devices mounted between
the backside of the respective profile element and the adjacent
wall.
9. The clamp means in accordance with claim 1, said female part
comprising in cross section a substantially U-shaped cavity with a
bottom and two upright walls, and two oppositely arranged profile
elements, wherein the profile elements are placed symmetrically and
for symmetrical effect in relation to a central plane spanned by an
axis which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the clamp
means along said upper edge, and by the insertion direction for the
male part into the cavity, and wherein said male part is rotation
symmetrically shaped about an axis in the insertion direction, with
a surface the cross sectional shape of which in the section behind
said tip is complementary to the cross sectional shape of the two
profile elements when in their less strained positions and in
contact with the male part, for obtaining a double complementary
engagement effect along the curves of contact.
10. The clamp means in accordance with claim 9, wherein the male
part tip has a tapered forward section which fits complementarily
into a correspondingly shaped recess in the cavity bottom, for
further support effect.
11. The clamp means in accordance with claim 9, wherein the lower
edge of each profile element has a longitudinally extending part
which is curved rearwardly toward the adjacent wall and up, thereby
providing a first groove, each respective wall having on the inside
thereof arranged a longitudinally extending section which projects
inwardly and up at a height between said edge groove and the upper
edge of the wall, thereby providing a second groove, and a rigid
lever is arranged behind each respective profile element, said
lever comprising a first arm with a rim protruding down into said
first groove, a support arm in an inclined relation to said first
arm, said support arm having an end thereof in engagement with the
second groove for providing a pivot axis for said lever, and a
second arm in the opposite direction of said first arm, said second
arm having an end part projecting out through a hole in the upper
edge of the female part, said hole being provided for that purpose,
and levers, on both sides of said clamp means, being adapted, when
both end part are pushed or squeezed to bend said profile elements
backwards and away from a possibly retained male part, such that
said male part is able to be pulled right out of the female part
again, the distance from said pivot axis to the squeeze position of
an end part being larger than the distance to the first groove, so
that the necessary squeeze force is reduced due to a favourable
moment arm ratio.
12. The clamp means in accordance with claim 9, wherein both
profile elements are articulated along the profile direction with
hinges mounted on the backside thereof, the springy effect of the
profile elements being provided by separate spring devices mounted
between the backside of the respective profile element and the
adjacent wall.
13. A clamp means, preferably with a profile-shaped design, for
joining together two objects in a fast and simple snap-on manner,
comprising a male part and a female part provided respectively for
each object, said male part comprising a pair of springy, barb-like
profile elements attached along the upper edge thereof for
providing a retaining effect in the female part when the male part
is inserted into the female part cavity, said profile elements
being adapted to yield elastically inward when the male part is
inserted in the cavity and engages a profiled surface of the
cavity, and thereafter to be relaxed and return quickly to a less
strained position when the male part profile elements have passed
by the shoulder of the female part, said shoulder having such
dimensions to retain the profile elements against the cavity bottom
due to an engagement effect and a barb effect, a further clamping
effect also being obtained due to a pinch effect of the profile
elements against opposite walls of the cavity, said profile
elements being convexly curved when viewed in the insertion
direction, that free ends of said profile elements point away from
the upper edge thereof, the female cavity having its surface
substantially complementary in relation to said profile elements
when the profile elements are in their less strained position, in
order to obtain a firm and rigid engagement.
Description
The present invention generally concerns a clamp means, which
comprises two parts adapted to join together two objects. Said
clamp means preferably has a profiled shape, i.e. it is more or
less elongated in shape.
Several related clamp means are previously known, and the most
common in this respect are clamps with elastic U or inverse shapes
which surround parts of an object which is pushed into the clamp.
Ordinary two-part buttons of the snap-fastener type, often used in
garments, exhibit a principle which is related to the present
invention.
However, such a snap-fastener operates only in accordance with an
elastic principle, and is released by pulling the male part of the
button right out again by use of sufficient power, in order to
overcome the elasticity in a "retainer spring part" in the female
part of the snap-fastner.
However, there exists an obvious need of a clamp means of a
substantially stronger type than the above mentioned types, which
clamp means may provide the advantage that two objects can be
joined together instantaneously to create a very strong unit, and
possibly including the opportunity of a release mechanism which can
be realized in a simple manner.
The purpose of the invention, namely the strong joining together of
two objects, is achieved by providing a preferably profile-shaped
clamp means for fast and simple ("snap") joining together of two
objects. Each object is provided with respectively a male part and
a female part of said clamp means, and these parts have front ends
substantially facing each other prior to joining by inserting one
part into the other. The front ends have forward-facing front
surfaces, with one of the parts comprising in cross section at
least one springy, barb-like profile element attached to its front
end for providing a retaining effect for the other part when
joining the two objects. The other part has a shoulder section at
its front end, and the profile element or elements is/are adapted
to yield elastically sideways when the two objects engage, due to
said shoulder section, and thereafter to relax and return quickly
to a less strained position when the shoulder section and the
profile element or elements have passed each other. The shoulder
section has such dimensions that said shoulder section and the
profile element or elements retain each other mutually due to a
barb effect at the profile element edge(s) and due to a contact
pressure between the front surface (s) of the other part and (an)
engaging surface (s) at the profile element part. A further
clamping effect is also obtained due to a pinch effect between the
profile elements and opposite surface(s) of the other part. The
particular characteristics of the clamp means are that the profile
element or elements is/are convexly curved when viewed from the
other part, that the profile element or elements extend(s)
substantially along the female part cavity walls in the insertion
direction, and that the surface of the other part located adjacent
the shoulder section has a substantially complementary
cross-sectional shape in relation to the profile element or
elements all along the extent thereof when the profile element or
elements is/are in its/their less strained position, in order to
obtain a firm and rigid engagement.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the surface adjacent
the shoulder section, is complementary to the profile element
surface for some distance along the profile direction.
In certain embodiments, the clamp means is relatively elongate in
the profile direction.
In a preferred embodiment of the clamp means, one part has two
oppositely arranged profile elements, placed symmetrically and for
a symmetrical effect in relation to a center plane, said other part
also being correspondingly symmetrically shaped behind its shoulder
section for a double complementary engagement effect against the
two profile elements when in their less strained positions.
In a very favourable embodiment of the clamp means, one part has a
tapered forward section which fits complementarily into a
correspondingly shaped recess in the other part, for further
support effect.
In most embodiments of the clamp means in accordance with the
present invention, it is important that it can be released in a
simple manner, and one embodiment of the clamp means is that it is
typically long in the profile direction and comprises one or
several sections without profile elements in the one part thereof,
and with corresponding sections in offset positions in the other
part without shoulder sections providing the barb effect, in such a
manner that the two parts can be released by a relative
displacement along the longitudinal direction, until no
locking/holding effect is present.
In another embodiment of the most generally stated clamp means
specified above, a female part has two oppositely arranged profile
elements, placed symmetrically and for symmetrical effect in
relation to a central plane spanned by an axis which is parallel to
the longitudinal direction of the clamp means along said upper
edge, and by the insertion direction for the male part into the
cavity, while the male part is shaped rotation symmetrically about
an axis in the insertion direction, and has a surface adjacent said
shoulder section which is substantially complementary to the
cross-section shape of the two profile elements when in their less
strained positions, for achieving a double complementary engagement
effect along the curves of contact.
The present invention provides a simple joining together of two
objects by pushing these objects toward each other. The two objects
are also separated in an equally simple manner, if this is a
desirable embodiment, by mutual displacement along the joining
profiles being equipped with sections without profile elements, or
by retracting the profile elements sideways.
In the following, the invention will be described more closely by
means of examples, and with reference to the enclosed drawing
figures, where
FIG. 1 shows the clamp means in an embodiment as a joining means
for two objects,
FIG. 2A-2C show a more advanced and releasable embodiment in
accordance with the invention, and
FIG. 3 shows a detail embodiment of central elements of the
invention.
FIGS. 4A and 4B shows another embodiment illustrating the two parts
of the clamp means in completely complementary manner.
FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of FIG. 4 including two
symmetrical profile elements.
FIG. 6 illustrates still another embodiment including two of the
embodiments shown in FIG. 4A reversely set and connected with one
another.
FIG. 7 is still further another embodiment as a variant of FIGS.
4-6.
FIG. 1 shows a cross section through profile-shaped objects 10 and
11 which are provided with respectively a female part and a male
part of a profile-shaped clamp means. The female part of the clamp
means is in this embodiment example constructed integrally with the
object 10, the female part bottom being provided with a recess 8
and being of a symmetrically shaped type with two profile elements
or springs 6 with a convexly curved shape when viewed from the
opposite part, and this female part is adapted to receive a male
part with substantially complementary shape. This male part is in a
corresponding manner designed as a part of the object 11 which
shall be locked to object 10. The locking operation is made in a
very simple manner in this case, by moving the two objects 10 and
11 right toward each other, the elasticity of the profile elements
6 causing these profile elements to yield sidewise, allowing the
tip having a tapered section 7 complementary shape with said recess
8, to penetrate to the bottom of the female part. The two profile
elements 6 slip back to a less strained position immediately when
tip 9 has passed by, and a joining connection with a very large
engagement surface is obtained. When the material dimensions have
been machined with sufficient precision, this joint will be very
strong, with good rigidity in all directions. Such a joint clamp
means can provide both temporary and permanent connection of two
objects.
The female and the male parts of the clamp means must not
necessarily be integrally constructed with the objects to be
fastened together, but may equally well be screwed separately on to
each respective object.
However, in its most general form, this clamp means is not
necessarily equipped with two symmetrical profile elements, and nor
must the surfaces be completely complementary designed. The
importance and quite essential feature is that one part has at
least one convexly curved profile element, attached along the front
edge, and in such a manner that it extends substantially along the
female part cavity walls in the insertion direction, that the
profile element is elastic, and that the shoulder section has
dimensions adapted to provide a barb effect and also an engagement
effect between profile element end and an opposite surface on the
other part. The two parts are then retained in three simultaneous
manners, namely by the profile element providing a substantially
lateral pinch effect, by said profile element operating as a barb,
and by an engagement effect established between the profile element
end and an opposing surface in the insertion direction.
Of course it is possible to utilize such a clamp means as the type
shown in FIG. 1 to make a permanent joint. One may then simply
envisage a female and a male part being quite uniform along the
total profile length, and that blocking means are provided, so that
the two parts cannot be shifted along each other.
On the other hand, if such a longitudinal displacement is possible
along the whole profile length, it will of course be possible to
release the male part and the female part from each other in this
manner. However, if one is dealing with typically long objects, it
will be favourable to provide both male part and female part with
sections without interlocking shoulder sections 9 and profile
elements 6. With such sections intercalated in suitable positions,
male and female parts can be pulled apart after only a short
longitudinal relative displacement.
In the clamp means shown in FIG. 1, the male part at the right in
the drawing may also have a rotation symmetrical shape, about an
axis in the same direction as the arrow. Such an embodiment is of
course not as strong as that embodiment which utilizes a
longitudinal profile shape also regarding the male part, however
also such a joint clamp means will exhibit a certain degree of
rigidity against bending "out of the paper plane", even though the
complementary engagement between the two parts in such a case
actually only takes place along two curves of contact. However,
such a means may have clear advantages within the art of building
constructions.
In FIGS. 2A and 2B there is shown a more advanced embodiment of the
invention. As appears most clearly from FIG. 2B, showing a female
part in a view from above, i.e. one views down into the cavity,
holes are provided on both sides on the top at the edges of the
female part walls. A lever 12 is arranged behind each profile
element 6. The lower edge of each profile element 6 is attached to
a lever 12 having an end part 23.
As indicated with arrows in both FIGS. 2A and 2B, it is possible to
push or squeeze the lever end parts 23, to the effect that the
edges of the profile elements move sideways and out. Thereby the
two parts can be released by pulling directly outwards.
A further variant of the same principle can be found in FIG. 2C. In
this case, which as a starting point is the same as that shown in
FIGS. 2A and B, the elasticity of the system is provided by means
of an articulation, examplified as hinge 16, and alternative spring
means 19 or 20 (those shown in the same FIG. 2C on respective
sides) mounted on the profile element, providing the same release
possibility as in the previous case. This solution may be of
particular interest regarding embodiments of the clamp means with
higher rigidity and/or larger dimensions.
FIG. 3 shows a detail embodiment of central elements of the
invention, and illustrates how the curved profile element 6 on the
one part may interface with the shoulder section 9 and adjacent
area on the other part, in order to obtain at the same time a barb
effect and a lateral pinch effect, and how the one part may be
provided with a tapered section 7 which fits complementary into a
correspondingly shaped recess 8 in the other part for further
support effect.
FIG. 4A shows the embodiment of only one profile of the female part
6 extending downward within a cavity. The male part 9 has a
completely complementary shape with the convexly curved
profile.
It can be understood that FIG. 4B is a variant of the embodiment of
FIG. 4B. The male part thereof includes an extended portion 17.
FIG. 5 is similar with FIG. 1. However, the male part 9 has a
completely complementary shape with the symmetrical curved profiles
of the female part 6.
FIG. 6 illustrates two female parts, such as the one shown in FIG.
4A, reversely integrally formed with one another. That is the two
curved profiles 26 and 26' point away from each other and extend
downwardly respectively into two cavities 21 and 22. The male parts
9 and 9' are also reversely joined with one another. Because of
such reverse connection, the embodiment of FIG. 6 can also be
understood to have male and female parts of FIG. 4A transfored from
one another. Thus, the parts of the curved profiles form a new male
part, while the parts of the lateral shoulders define a new female
cavity matching the curved profiles. Notwithstanding, as described
before, this unique embodiment can still be viewed as reversely
joined two embodiments of FIG. 4A.
Such transformation can be further understood from the embodiment
shown in FIG. 7. For instance, when the central portion of the
embodiment of FIG. 7 is isolated from the two side portions, the
central portion will be identical with the one shown in FIG. 6.
However, it can also be deemed as two embodiments of FIG. 5 joined
together.
* * * * *